2/12/2007

The Space Review interview with the 1972 Hudson High School graduate and author of numerous fiction and non-fiction books.

by Dwayne A. DayMonday, February 12, 2007Michael Cassutt is a writer who has worked in several genres over the years. He is perhaps best known in science fiction circles as a television writer, penning episodes for shows such as Farscape, Stargate SG-1, and the late, lamented American version of Max Headroom (which was brought to us live, from “20 minutes into the future…”). He has also written several near-future science fiction books, set in the current space program. These include Tango Midnight, Missing Man, and Red Moon, about a murder investigation in the Russian space program during the height of the Moon race.

But to those interested in space history, Cassutt is known as the author of several non-fiction books, including: Deke! the biography of Deke Slayton (1992), a biography of General Tom Stafford, and all three editions of Who’s Who in Space (1987, 1993 and 1998), a reference guide to the important people, as well as astronauts, involved in the world’s major space programs.

During a recent trip to Los Angeles I was able to meet up with Cassutt, who talked about several of his projects. This prompted me to follow up with this interview via e-mail.

The Space Review: Where did you grow up? What influenced you as a kid?

Television and sports were the twin pillars of my interests until about age 11, when I discovered science fiction and spaceflight.Mchael Cassutt: I was born in Owatonna, Minnesota, because my father was then teaching in a small town nearby. Spent a few years as a teacher’s brat in various other obscure locations—my favorite (and the site of my first memories) being Kiester, MN. But my hometown, where we moved in 1958, was Hudson, Wisconsin, a wonderful mix of small town and suburbia located on the St. Croix River about 15 miles from downtown St. Paul, Minnesota.